


Paying the Boatman (The Hide and Kaneki River Scene)

by Half_SubmergedinPurgatory



Series: TG Prompt Collection [10]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Canon Elaboration, Canon in more detail? With a more hopeful twist?, Gen, Hide is Kaneki's Humanity, Literary References & Allusions, Meta, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-08-16 15:49:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8108296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Half_SubmergedinPurgatory/pseuds/Half_SubmergedinPurgatory
Summary: “Suicide by drowning? Talk about unoriginal. Don’t tell me you’re trying to be-”A thousand names flickered through Kaneki’s mind, however he found he couldn’t settle on one anymore. Who had he wanted to-“C’mon, get out of there.”Hide said, reaching out and catching Kaneki’s stained arm (he felt like he should flinch back, but…). He tugged Kaneki’s naked body from the river and eyed the rivulets of death-soaked liquid winding down his body (feeding the flowers and letting them grow forever…immortal).





	

Familiar water lapped at Kaneki’s bare thighs and chilled his bones. He couldn’t see his ghostly pale skin through it at all. He was almost relieved to see himself disappearing ( _gone into the blackness_ ).   
  
In the distance, he heard a terrible sound. A grinding scream called him away from the river, but in his stumbling he slipped further in ( _his feet sliding on the slimy bottom that had been solid only moments before_ ).   
  
How many people had died due to drowning? So many people said it was peaceful to give yourself over to the flow of the world. Did he really want to fight his fate? He had tried, hadn’t he?   
  
The orchids growing along the left side of the river seemed sturdy enough to grip. He could pull himself out…  
  
The asphodels on the right were delicate, however their aroma beckoned him. The flowers on the left were scentless.   
  
With a garland of flowers and a forgotten tune on his lips, would he not be like Ophelia ( _slipping away like the water itself)_? Perhaps more like Osamu ( _fading into melancholy and guilt_ )?   
  
The orchids waved to him and Kaneki hung his head. No, if he was to be anyone, he was Georg. Told that death was his only path, he had chosen to go quietly ( _who had told him to die? Wasn’t Arima asking him to-_ ). It was his fate.   
  
He had chosen to sink.   
  
“I’m done.”  
  
Kaneki whispered, dipping his fingers into the river and letting it spill down his arm in inky stains.  
  
“Not yet.”  
  
A voice responded, as painful in its familiarity as the water was soothing. It was sharp in its reprimand, but soon rounded out with the same concerned good humour that Kaneki had desperately tried to emulate for years.  
  
“Suicide by drowning? Talk about unoriginal. Don’t tell me you’re trying to be-”  
  
A thousand names flickered through Kaneki’s mind, however he found he couldn’t settle on one anymore. Who had he wanted to-  
  
“C’mon, get out of there.”  
  
Hide said, reaching out and catching Kaneki’s stained arm ( _he felt like he should flinch back, but…_ ). He tugged Kaneki’s naked body from the river and eyed the rivulets of death-soaked liquid winding down his body ( _feeding the flowers and letting them grow forever…immortal_ ).   
  
“Put this on,”  
  
Hide’s tone carried the slightest trace of a grin and he began tugging off his black sweater and pants,  
  
“I don’t want to see your naked ass.”  
  
Hide chuckled and passed over the clothes, now wearing only an undershirt and boxers,  
  
“We both know that the water is cold and shrinkage can be a bitch, hmmm?”  
  
Despite himself, Kaneki laughed. The sound tore against his throat like knives, however he _**wanted**_ to laugh. He wanted to give Hide something after taking so much away.   
  
As Hide called him out on his mistakes, his lies, and his wishes, Kaneki gave himself over to honesty. Even if this wasn’t real ( _these grey skies and violet fields of death_ ), there was so much left to say to Hide ( _his best friend, his guide, his heart_ ).   
  
“I’m so lonely without you.”  
  
Kaneki choked out, refusing to cover his face just this once, refusing to let the smile slip off his face. He was in pain and _**Hide knew**_. He knew and he wasn’t judging. He knew and he wanted Kaneki to _**keep going anyway**_.   
  
He’d made Hide lonely so many times.  
  
Hide had tried to stay beside him regardless.   
  
A smile crossed Hide’s face despite the tears filling his eyes. It was relieved, making Hide look…so much younger than Kaneki. Like he did in their teen years.   
  
“What are ya,”  
  
Hide murmured, gazing up at the twinkling stars ( _when has those appeared?_ ),  
  
“A little bunny?”  
  
Yes, he was. He’d always been the kind of person who would die if left alone.  
  
His tears continued falling as Hide encouraged him to go on, to live, to not continue his selfish actions like a fool. To live an ugly life.  
  
To respect Hide’s desire to stay beside him.   
  
“Live.”  
  
Hide said, looking at Kaneki with a bittersweet shadow of his typical grin. The world around him wasn’t the river anymore. It was their school in the height of summer where Hide and Kaneki had walked a thousand times before. It was his memories of being human.  
  
“Y’know, Hide…”  
  
Kaneki began, pressing his knees into the hot cement and letting it warm his chilled blood,  
  
“They say the River Styx made Achilles invulnerable everywhere except where his mother held him.”  
  
The summer sun beat down on his face, abrasive and illuminating, and it made him uncomfortable. It made him feel painfully alive.   
  
Hide’s eyes were wide, like he’d intended to simply slip off after saying his piece. Like he was going to disappear again, content to fade into the shadows as Kaneki continued trying to live his life.  
  
As if he could express his desires and not have them granted.  
  
“I haven’t been dipped in the river, ‘Neki.”  
  
Hide said, his smile twisting,   
  
“You have. You’ve got to do your thing.”  
  
Kaneki stood up and gripped Hide’s arm, letting the same burning heat from the pavement soak through his palm and remind him of how much Hide’s body had given him ( _flesh, blood, bone…sustenance for the journey_ ).   
  
“Then I’ll just protect you.”  
  
Kaneki swore, tightening his grip as Hide frowned at him,   
  
“My humanity. My soul. I’ll protect my Achilles heel - _**the sign that somebody loved me**_.”   
  
The furrow between Hide’s eyebrows dissolved as understanding dawned. Hide’s form was fading fast, but Kaneki didn’t panic. He had the oddest feeling that he’d live to see Hide again. Still…  
  
Kaneki pressed his lips to his dearest friend’s forehead reverently.  
  
_**This was something he could live for.**_

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was for a fic inspired by "Swimming - Florence and the Machine".
> 
> Y'all can send me prompts @ purgatoryandme.tumblr.com  
> Prompt fics fall under the tag "drabbles".


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